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Image Management in Public Diplomacy A Political Psychology Perspective Doris A. Graber, U. of Illinois/Chicago Professor: Political Science/Communication

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What is Public Diplomacy? My definition:My definition: “Government-sponsored activities designed to persuade foreign publics to hold favorable images about the sponsoring nation’s nature and policies and to soften or erase unfavorable images.”

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What is Image Management? THREE MAJOR STEPS 1.Assessing what your target audience likes and dislikes about your country. 2. Strengthening the ‘likes’ side of the ledger and weakening the ‘dislike’ side. Do so with words and deeds. 3. Avoid contradicting & disconfirming information.

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Why Image Management is Crucial in International Politics Bad images make co-existence & cooperation difficult. They reduce policy effectiveness. Bad images increase fears about potentially unfavorable economic or military developments. To cooperate successfully, China and USA must pursue vigorous public diplomacy campaigns in words and deeds.

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Why Image Management is Difficult Some Essential Requirements: Assess current opinions of target audiences.Assess current opinions of target audiences. Know the causes/contributing events of current views including local cultures, stereotypes.Know the causes/contributing events of current views including local cultures, stereotypes. Know local legal and political environments likely to affect PD campaigns.Know local legal and political environments likely to affect PD campaigns. Overcome conflicting messages spreading simultaneously in the Internet Age.Overcome conflicting messages spreading simultaneously in the Internet Age. Cope with the Mirror Image effect.Cope with the Mirror Image effect.

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Credit Public Diplomacy Joshua Kurlantzick, said in Charm Offensive: How China's Soft Power is Transforming the World (2007) thatJoshua Kurlantzick, said in Charm Offensive: How China's Soft Power is Transforming the World (2007) that "China has drastically changed its image in many parts of the world from dangerous to benign. It may already be the preeminent power in parts of Asia, and it could develop China-centered spheres of influence in other parts of the globe, like Central Asia or Africa" p. 226)."China has drastically changed its image in many parts of the world from dangerous to benign. It may already be the preeminent power in parts of Asia, and it could develop China-centered spheres of influence in other parts of the globe, like Central Asia or Africa" p. 226).

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My Searches for Matching Negative Images of the U.S. were largely unsuccessful.My Searches for Matching Negative Images of the U.S. were largely unsuccessful. Apologies!Apologies! Patterns suggest that the ratings of China and the U.S. are quite similarPatterns suggest that the ratings of China and the U.S. are quite similar Major Image Negatives: Economic and Military Power

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Prognosis for Success of Public Diplomacy Campaigns The Chicago Council on Global Affairs surveyed five countries in 2008 – China, the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam. Respondents in each country answered 40 to 60 questions about economics, culture, human capital, diplomacy and politics. The table shows how China rated in various performance realms based on a scale of 0 to 100.The Chicago Council on Global Affairs surveyed five countries in 2008 – China, the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam. Respondents in each country answered 40 to 60 questions about economics, culture, human capital, diplomacy and politics. The table shows how China rated in various performance realms based on a scale of 0 to 100.

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Important Lessons from the Ratings Diversity of ratings by countries shows that image creation is interactive.Diversity of ratings by countries shows that image creation is interactive. Variances in ratings for various appraisal dimensions show that images are multi- faceted. Ratings of one facet do not necessarily affect the ratings of other facets.Variances in ratings for various appraisal dimensions show that images are multi- faceted. Ratings of one facet do not necessarily affect the ratings of other facets. The mindset of observers in each country is crucial in shaping their images. Political psychology provides essential insights.The mindset of observers in each country is crucial in shaping their images. Political psychology provides essential insights.

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Lessons from Actual PD Campaigns Reaching target audiences does not guarantee accurate meaning transmission. It does not guarantee persuasion.Reaching target audiences does not guarantee accurate meaning transmission. It does not guarantee persuasion. PD campaigns fail if they are poorly coordinated with other policies that have image impacts. Campaigns need repeats.PD campaigns fail if they are poorly coordinated with other policies that have image impacts. Campaigns need repeats. Message competition from news and entertainment media is difficult to beat.Message competition from news and entertainment media is difficult to beat. Changes are mostly domain-specific.Changes are mostly domain-specific.

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About Me

A Princeton PhD, was a US diplomat for over 20 years, mostly in Eastern Europe, and was promoted to the Senior Foreign Service in 1997. For the Open World Leadership Center, he speaks with
its delegates from Europe/Eurasia on the topic, "E Pluribus Unum? What Keeps the United States United" (http://johnbrownnotesandessays.blogspot.com/2017/03/notes-and-references-for-discussion-e.html). Affiliated with Georgetown University (http://explore.georgetown.edu/people/jhb7/) for over ten years, he shares ideas with students about public diplomacy.
The papers of his deceased father -- poet and diplomat John L. Brown -- are stored at Georgetown University Special Collections at the Lauinger Library. They are manuscript materials valuable to scholars interested in post-WWII U.S.-European cultural relations.
This blog is dedicated to him, Dr. John L. Brown, a remarkable linguist/humanist who wrote in the Foreign Service Journal (1964) -- years before "soft power" was ever coined -- that "The CAO [Cultural Affairs Officer] soon comes to realize that his job is really a form of love-making and that making love is never really successful unless both partners are participating."